Hiking
Val Ferret — the Tour du Mont Blanc’s quiet side, by boot and bike
Courmayeur · Aosta Valley
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Hiking
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Courmayeur · Aosta Valley
- DURATION
- 2–3 days
ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE
Val Ferret is Courmayeur’s other valley — greener, quieter, facing the Grandes Jorasses wall. Its valley floor carries the Tour du Mont Blanc’s Italian stage: from the hamlet of Arnuva the path climbs to Rifugio Bonatti, the classic hut named for the great Walter Bonatti, with the Jorasses filling the window. Cyclists take the flat valley-road circuit (28 km, 950 m of gain on the full tour variant); winter turns the same floor into a 12-mile cross-country network under the same walls, with snowshoe and dog-sled options at Arnouvò.
WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE
What you’ll experience
You shuttle or ride to the valley head and walk to Bonatti (1h30 from Arnuva) for lunch on the terrace — one of the great hut views anywhere — or ride the valley circuit past the hamlets of La Palud, Planpincieux and Salei. In winter the same ground goes white and quiet: skate-ski the prepared trail to Arnuva and watch the seracs of the Jorasses over the larches.
THE EXPERIENCE IN DETAIL
What it’s really like
HIGHLIGHTS
Moments worth savouring
Rifugio Bonatti — the TMB’s most famous hut, under the Grandes Jorasses.
The 28 km valley bike circuit with 950 m of gain.
Winter cross-country trail network beneath the Jorasses wall.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Good to know before you go
Summer shuttles reach Arnuva; the Bonatti walk is straightforward but long — take water and start early. Valley-floor cycling is family-friendly; the full TMB mountain-bike variant is expert only.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Val Ferret is the Tour du Mont Blanc’s Italian heart — the massif’s grandeur without its crowds.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
Val Ferret — the Tour du Mont Blanc’s quiet side, by boot and bike
Val Ferret — the Tour du Mont Blanc’s quiet side, by boot and bike, Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy
45.8435, 7.0037
ATTRACTIONS NEARBY
Pair it with these sights
MORE EXPERIENCES
More to do in Courmayeur
FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Ristorante Chiecco — Plan Chécrouit’s institution: venison ragu and the terrace over the valley
Maison Vieille — the classic hut above Chécrouit lake, fondue and the warmest welcome on skis
Chez Ollier — Chécrouit mountain dining, Valdostan classics with a modern hand
La Terrazza (Cristallo) — bistro plates and the massif through the glass on Via Roma
La Grolla — Val Veny-side mountain restaurant, grolla coffee and carbonade
Pizzeria du Tunnel — Skyway-side local favourite, the best pizza in the valley
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Grand Hotel Royal e Golf — the 1947 landmark above the basin, with the spa and the view
Boutique chalet-hotels around Via Roma — the historic core at your doorstep
Camping Aiguille Noire (Val Veny) — 100 pitches under the Peuterey, May–September
Rifugio Bonatti (Val Ferret) and the Chécrouit huts — the mountain nights
Pré-Saint-Didier spa hotels — thermal water two steps from your bed
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
Continue the journey
%22%2F%3E%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%22600%22%20cy%3D%22300%22%20r%3D%2290%22%20fill%3D%22%23c8a06a%22%20opacity%3D%220.35%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M0%20620%20L300%20420%20L520%20560%20L760%20360%20L1000%20540%20L1200%20460%20L1200%20800%20L0%20800%20Z%22%20fill%3D%22%23a97c50%22%20opacity%3D%220.22%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M0%20700%20L260%20540%20L480%20640%20L720%20500%20L980%20620%20L1200%20560%20L1200%20800%20L0%20800%20Z%22%20fill%3D%22%2320241f%22%20opacity%3D%220.14%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
PART OF
Keep exploring
The atlas goes on — more attractions, destinations and stories from every corner of the world.